Drogba strikes to keep Chelsea dream alive

London, March 4 (DPA) Chelsea closed the gap on Manchester United to four points with a 1-0 away to Portsmouth in the English Premier League. Didier Drogba got the goal 11 minutes from time Tuesday, converting a cross from Ricardo Quaresma.

The victory is Guus Hiddink’s fourth by a single goal in four games since replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari as manager last month.

Portsmouth remain just two points above the relegation zone.

In other matches, David Ngog scored his first Premier League goal as Liverpool got back to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Sunderland.

They are also just four points adrift of United having played two games more.

Ricky Sbragia’s side frustrated Liverpool in the first half, but six minutes into the second, the breakthrough came.

Albert Riera beat Tal Ben Haim on the left, and sent in a cross to the back post, where Steven Gerrard headed back across goal for Ngog to guide in.

Yossi Benayoun made it two 19 minutes after half-time, rolling the ball in after goalkeeper Marton Fulop had spilled Ngog’s cross. Sunderland are five points above the relegation zone.

Arsenal ended a run of four successive Premier League draws with a 3-1 victory over bottom side West Bromwich Albion, the much-maligned Nicklas Bendtner scoring twice. They climb to fifth in the table, three points behind Aston Villa.

Bendtner put them ahead after four minutes, capitalizing on Denilson’s through-ball. But Chris Brunt drilled a free-kick through the wall to level three minutes later. Sven minutes before half-time, though, Arsenal regained the lead, Kolo Toure heading in Andrei Arshavin’s free-kick. And four minutes later, Bendtner made the most of a slip by Abdoulaye Meite to add his second.